Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multivalent feline vaccine, which is capable of reducing clinical signs of infection associated with Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, including but not limited to Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus, and Feline Panleukopenia.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR) is an infectious disease caused by feline herpes virus type-1. Clinical signs include upper respiratory disease signs, conjunctivitis, and purulent ocular discharge.
Feline Calicivirus (FCV) is spread between cats through direct contact or fomites. Symptoms are similar to rhinotracheitis but also include oral or nasal ulcers. Virulent systemic calicivirus is a strain of FCV that causes generalized systemic disease and can lead to death in 67% of affected animals. Clinical signs include pyrexia, depression, jaundice, and symptoms of multiple organ disease. FCV is highly contagious and is extremely difficult to eradicate from the environment. Most FCV monovalent or multivalent vaccines do not contain a Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus (VS FCV) fraction.
Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV) is the feline equivalent to canine parvovirus type 2. Many feline practitioners count this as the most devastating of the three viruses. Clinical signs include pyrexia, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea leading to extreme dehydration, and sudden death.
FVR and FCV comprise almost ninety percent of all feline respiratory infections; the availability of effective vaccines to prevent these two diseases is of great significance.
Some veterinarians have blamed modified live calicivirus vaccines for outbreaks of upper respiratory disease and malaise in their patients.
Studies have linked the development of some sarcomas to injections, specifically called Feline Injection Site-Associated Sarcomas (FISS). These tumors have increased in prevalence following the introduction of potent, adjuvanted vaccines. Possibly 1 to 4 in 10,000 vaccinated cats will develop an FISS after vaccination. The American Association for Feline Practitioners has recommended considering non-adjuvanted vaccines to try to reduce local inflammation in an effort to decrease the prevalence of FISS. The present invention is a non-adjuvanted combination of modified live and killed isolates, while others only currently have only all MLV or all KV versions.